Month: September 2025

The Kerala State Beverages Corporation Limited (Bevco) is rolling out a new plastic bottle return scheme in a pilot project aimed at promoting responsible waste disposal. The initiative, which launched on Wednesday, is a collaboration with Clean Kerala Company and is starting with 20 Bevco outlets—10 each in Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur. Under the new scheme, customers will be charged a refundable deposit of ₹20 for each QR-coded plastic liquor bottle. The deposit will be returned when the customer brings the empty bottle back to the same outlet with the label intact. According to Harshitha Attaluri, Managing Director of Bevco, this is a step towards sustainable retail practices. The labels, which were developed with assistance from the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-D...

NEW DELHI – The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has raised serious objections to the ongoing practice of discharging domestic and industrial waste into stormwater drains in Varanasi. During a hearing on August 29, the tribunal stated that these drains are meant exclusively for rainwater and that connecting them to sewage treatment plants (STPs) could lead to the plants being overloaded, particularly during the monsoon season. The case focuses on the continued discharge of untreated waste into the Ganga River. While the Uttar Pradesh government sought more time to submit its action plan, the NGT, led by Chairman Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Ishwar Singh, expressed its concerns directly to the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG). According to reports, Varanasi has 48...

CHENNAI – Residents of high-rises along Chennai's Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) are once again facing a severe air pollution problem, with a pungent gas returning to localities like Kelambakkam, Siruseri, Padur, and Navalur. The foul odor, which had briefly subsided, has resurfaced in the last month, causing health issues such as throat irritation, coughing, nausea, and eye and skin irritation. This is not the first time residents have dealt with the issue. In May 2025, officials from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) conducted a field study and identified a pharmaceutical company in the SIDCO industrial estate in Alathur as the source of a volatile organic compound (VOC). A recent sensor reading by TNPCB staff reportedly detected VOC levels between 0.5-0.7 ppm, though offic...

NEW DELHI – Facing a major agricultural crisis from invasive pests, India has turned to an unconventional solution: importing insects to fight its battles. In 2022, the country made a rare move, importing parasitic wasps from Africa to combat the Cassava Mealybug, an invasive pest that was devastating crops in southern states. The mealybug, a pest native to South America, found its way to India and, without any natural predators, spread rapidly. First detected by farmers in Kerala's Thrissur district in April 2020, the pest quickly multiplied, slashing cassava yields from 35 tonnes per hectare to just 3-5 tonnes. This created an agricultural crisis, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, which account for the majority of India's cassava production. Rather than resorting to a widespre...

AHMEDABAD – Cities across the globe are deploying innovative technologies to combat the urban heat island effect, a growing hazard magnified by climate change. A new global study highlights how India's urban centers, in particular, are at the forefront of this effort, using smartwatches and other novel methods to map and manage extreme heat. The urban heat island effect can cause city temperatures to be up to 12°C higher than surrounding areas, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. A global study, with a focus on communities in Ahmedabad, India, is providing residents with smartwatches embedded with heat-tracking features. These devices collect real-time data on the body's physiological responses to heat, offering a more human-centric understanding of heat stress. The ...

ADDIS ABABA – African leaders are gathering at the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) in Ethiopia to present a unified "green blueprint" for the continent's development. The summit, held in Addis Ababa, aims to position Africa not as a victim of climate change but as a global powerhouse for solutions, demanding "real investment, not charity" from the international community. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who is co-hosting the summit, highlighted Africa's vast potential in renewable energy and critical minerals, which are essential for the global energy transition. He urged for the creation of a thousand African-led climate innovations by 2030, a vision that includes a focus on carbon capture and sustainable industrialization. The summit, which comes just before the upcoming C...

LAHORE – Pakistan's Punjab province is grappling with devastating floods that have led to a massive rescue effort, with over 10,000 people rescued in Multan within the last 24 hours. The disaster has claimed at least 60 lives since August 23, submerged thousands of villages, and affected millions. According to Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari, the floods have inundated 4,355 villages, impacting 4.2 million people. Authorities have successfully evacuated 2.1 million individuals and 1.5 million livestock to safety. In response to the crisis, the province has established 412 relief camps to shelter the displaced, along with medical camps to provide essential healthcare. The disaster's impact is expected to continue, as high flood levels persist in the Sutlej and Chenab rivers. N...

A new study by researchers at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh, India, has found that microplastics can seriously damage the gut. Published in the Indian Journal of Gastroenterology, the research indicates that these tiny plastic particles not only harm beneficial gut bacteria but also weaken the body's immune system. How Microplastics Damage Gut Health The study reveals that microplastics, which are now widespread in our food, water, and air, can impact the gut in two key ways: • Altered Gut Microbiome: Microplastics have been shown to reduce "good" gut bacteria while encouraging the growth of harmful ones. A balanced gut microbiome is crucial for digestion and immune function. • Weakened Intestinal Lining: The particles can ...

NEW DELHI – A recent analysis of India’s urban centers reveals a shared and critical flaw: cities are collapsing under the weight of outdated infrastructure and static master plans that fail to account for a dynamic environment. From bustling metropolises to carefully planned modernist cities, the report argues that India’s urban areas have outgrown their own governance and are now highly vulnerable to climate change and modern ambitions. The report points to several key examples of this urban decline: • Hyderabad, once known for its intricate water management systems, now experiences regular and severe flooding. • Shimla, a hill station never designed for large-scale year-round habitation, is "collapsing under modern ambitions built on colonial bones." • Even Chandigarh, a mas...

UTTARKASHI – A destructive cloudburst hit Uttarakhand's Yamuna Valley on Saturday, causing significant damage to the Naugaon area. The intense downpour and subsequent flash flood resulted in mudslides that buried homes in debris, flooded low-lying areas, and disrupted daily life. District Magistrate Prashant Arya confirmed that a residential house was buried and the muddy waters of a swollen stream flowed into several homes. Despite the extensive damage, no casualties have been reported, largely because many residents had already evacuated their homes in anticipation of the danger posed by the heavy rains. The sudden weather event triggered chaos in the Naugaon market, with witnesses reporting that the swollen Devalsari stream swept away vehicles and caused a major mudslide. The Delh...